To Feel Unsafe in Your Own Home
The weather is a lot warmer and sunnier now that summer is just around the corner. It’s that time of the year again to go out on long walks, have picnics, go swimming, take road trips, and do so much more. For many it’s the best time of the year for outdoor sports. Others can’t let a day go by without going to the pool. Some prefer to enjoy the sun by going to the park. Any means of enjoying the sun is well worth it for us summer lovers. For me going on walks is by far one of the best ways to enjoy the summer. I simply can’t get enough of them. Morning walks, evening walks, and night walks are all enjoyable in their own ways. This afternoon I happened to have gone on a walk, but I almost didn’t get the pleasure of doing so.
The reason why I was second guessing my decision to go on a walk is because I would be going alone.When I lived with my parents and even after I moved out I would never doubt going on a walk by myself. As a woman I have always felt that I need to be more careful doing certain things. When I first started college I was driven to campus and picked up by my older brother. I hold my keys in between my knuckles when I walk alone in a parking lot or walking up to my apartment. I never go to public events without someone. I’m careful with whom I speak either at work or out in public. I tend to keep to myself even with my neighbors. Dating guys is even worse because I’m always too skeptical of their intentions. These are just a few of the things that women have to always be aware of. Men will probably never ever have to deal with anything like that.
The reason why today I didn’t feel as confident going is due to an incident that occurred to my friend’s sister in law. I won’t mention names of the individuals involved in the location due to respect and safety. I live in a pretty good county in the state of Kansas and my neighborhood is pretty safe. There isn’t much crime or excess crime where I live. Every now and than I will here about a store being robbed or someone getting mugged. I do however live close to other cities where worse things occur. One of this cities is where the incident occurred. My friend mentioned that she has never felt threatened or unsafe when she had visited her sister in law in the past. She did mention that the area wasn’t at all like the county we grew up and live in. We live in a pretty prosperous county and one that is low in crime as I mentioned already. We were able to play outside without the watchful eye of or parents, we walked to friends houses, walked from school, and never felt unsafe. Of course now that we are older and have ventured out of our “safe” neighborhoods and home surroundings we do take more care in knowing where we are at.
When I first started to drive and go to one of the busiest cities in my state I knew I had to be very cautious. I always make sure to have enough gas, that my phone is charged, that I let someone know where I am at, and that if possible I have someone with me when I go to this city. I love going to concerts and art events which are always being hosted there. For me it’s very sad to think that I wouldn’t feel safe going to this city on my own and now recently even on a walk. My friend’s sister in law was raped in her own apartment where she felt safe. How are we, as women, going to feel assured that we won’t be hurt when others are being violated in our their own homes. She was raped by more than one man repeatedly. Her apartment was broken into in the middle of the night and she had to suffer more than once.
Your home is one of the places where you should feel the most secure in. To be hurt like that in the place you should feel safe in is beyond horrible. To be honest ever since my friend told me about this I can’t help but feel meow unsafe. It doesn’t matter that I live in a “better” part of my state, that I have a brother who is currently living with me, that I carry my keys in between my knuckles. Why? Simply because for me the danger is surely out there no matter where I am. I can’t help but check every corner when I walk to my car after my evening job or when I walk up to my apartment. I feel like I can’t take my guard off because if I do that is when something bad will happen. Of course this is nothing compared to what other women go through each and every day in other parts of the US or other countries. I can’t even imagine he dangerous that many more women face in other parts of the world. It’s sad to think that worse things happen and that nothing is really being done to stop it.
On my walk today, which I did end up taking, all I kept thinking about was the dangerous we face as woman. In this day and age I feel like the safety paranoia starts at an earlier age. My parents don’t feel safe letting my ten year old sister walk to school or the park alone. We just don’t know what can happen and it’s horrifying. We literally have to be super careful with how we get around in our daily lives. It’s sad but it’s true. I only hope that one day soon we won’t have to worry about what can happen to us while just walking in a parking lot.
